Ten things you MAY not know about the Haunted Mansion...

05-08-2006, 01:30 PM

Ten things you MAY not know about the Haunted Mansion

(And this list is for newbies, like me, that may have not known these facts from a favorite ride):

1. As you're going through the ballroom, you may notice what's supposed to look like a spider web on one of the sheets of glass. In the summer of 1974, a disneyland guest shot a .22 caliber handgun towards one of the two men dueling (the one on the right), and shot through the glass. The same person shot a hold in the second to last window of the Primevil world railroad diorama, and bullet fragments also matched holds in Adventures in Inner Space (he shot at the snowflakes).2. None of the actual Haunted Mansion ride takes place in the Antebellum Mansion front that you enter. The entire ride, which you board via an underground tunnel, is contained in a large building behind the mansion, beyond the railroad tracks.3. In the ballroom scene, the mirror image reflection causes the women to lead, instead of the men, while waltzing.4. Each car is equipped with 3 speakers, and used to have an ingenious system where the sound was transmitted to odd-numbered cars via a narrow band transmitter, and the signal (once received) was then passed on to the even-numbered car behind it. In a 1995 refurbishment (which added lines of dialogue previously taken out, new digital chips were added to each car. 5. The theme song in the mansion, Grim Grinning Ghosts, is the same song throughtout the entire ride - it's played slowly on an electric organ when you enter the first room of the mansion, on an pipe organ with a more upbeat tempo when you visit the ballroom scene, and as an upbeat jazzy vocal melody when you visit the graveyard. 6. Leota Thomas, the face of "Madam Leota", has a daughter, Kim Irvine, who is a Disney imagineer. Candy Candido, voice for the growly guy in the mutt-and-Jeff prisoner pair in the graveyard, was also the voice of the angry apple tree in "The Wizard of Oz."7. Marc Davis, the artist responsible for the paintings and most of the other concepts found in the Mansion, had originally envisioned a Mansion-themed restaurant for New Orleans Square (probably the Fowler's Harbour area), where park guests could actually sit down and spend time watching as ghostly portraits slowly metamorphosized. Incidentally, Davis had spent several years coming up with a virtual pile of changing portrait concepts - many more than could actually be used - which could have been incorporated into such a restaurant. This is the third attraction (after the Enchanted Tiki Room, and Pirates of the Carribean, that was originally thought of as a restaurant).8. Cast members have a "remote control", like a small TV remote, that can stop and start the ride immediately, if necessary.9. In the ballroom scene, the book that Grandma is reading in the rocking chair is "Arizona in the 1950s" by James Tevis.10. Haunted Mansion has five Ravens: a) "Rooftop" overhead just after exiting attic (graveyard entrance); b) "Conservatory" on coffin; c) "Seance" on the back of the chair, d) "Ballroom" on the balcony against the rear wall, and e) "Graveyard" (exit) overhead just before entering crypt. The reason you see a raven so many scenes is because the raven was originally supposed to be the tour guide; hence, he was placed in strategic locations. Then plans changed, and the Ghost Host (voice by Paul Frees, also famous for the voice of Boris Badanov from Rocky and Bullwinkle) was added, but the raven remains throughout the ride.

Comment

Not to pick nits - but, Leota Toombs is the face of Madame Leota (and the voice and face of "Little Leota"), and Pinto Colvig was the angry apple tree, as well as the original voice of Goofy. Candy Candido is the voice of the Executioner in the Mansion, as well as the disembodied laugh as you exit. You'll also recognize him as the Indian Chief in Peter Pan.

I've never heard about a guest randomly shooting at things in the park before. Snopes, anyone?

So full of Disney Magic, my eyes are blue.

Comment

I'd heard of the shooting in the Dinosaur Dinorama, but not the other two. Anyone else with info, really curious. If all were connected...I have a picture in my mind of this guy running all over the Park with a gun!

Mom, remember, it's not what a person is like on the outside that counts,

Comment

I'd heard of the shooting in the Dinosaur Dinorama, but not the other two. Anyone else with info, really curious. If all were connected...I have a picture in my mind of this guy running all over the Park with a gun!

This was confirmed by Mark Keiser (Retlaw 72-76 Security 77-81) Summer
1974 "The guy that shot there presumably also shot the hole in the last
or second to last window of the Primeval World diorama. Later
investigation determined the hole to be .22 caliber (in both places), and
bullet fragments matched (courtesy of Anaheim PD) the holes in Adventures
in Inner Space (he shot up the snow flakes)."

There is another bullet sized hole beneath the duelist on the right, so
perhaps a deranged guest was shooting at "the man with the gun".

They knew that to replace the glass they'd have to take the roof off the
building first, so they decided to simply disguise it as a spider web.
BTW, there is a spare pane in the back lot.

Comment

Not to pick nits - but, Leota Toombs is the face of Madame Leota (and the voice and face of "Little Leota"), and Pinto Colvig was the angry apple tree, as well as the original voice of Goofy. Candy Candido is the voice of the Executioner in the Mansion, as well as the disembodied laugh as you exit. You'll also recognize him as the Indian Chief in Peter Pan.

I've never heard about a guest randomly shooting at things in the park before. Snopes, anyone?

Comment

I'd heard of the shooting in the Dinosaur Dinorama, but not the other two. Anyone else with info, really curious. If all were connected...I have a picture in my mind of this guy running all over the Park with a gun!

Actually I think it was the same shooter, if I remember "Mouse Tales" correctly he got the Dinorama, HM and Adventures Thru Innerspace

Comment

Not to pick nits - but, Leota Toombs is the face of Madame Leota (and the voice and face of "Little Leota")

As I mentioned. From the FAQ: "Both "Madam Leota" and "Little Leota" use the faces of Disney imagineer Leota Thomas. Leota Thomas (her maiden name was Leota Toombs) mainly worked in the model shop and could be seen in the Small World pictorial guide, now out of print, which showed several "making of" photos. Thomas is the voice of "Little Leota" at the end of the attraction. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1992. Eleanor Audley is the voice of Madam Leota (also Maleficent and Lady Tremain)."

Originally posted by Gn2Dlnd

...and Pinto Colvig was the angry apple tree, as well as the original voice of Goofy. Candy Candido is the voice of the Executioner in the Mansion, as well as the disembodied laugh as you exit. You'll also recognize him as the Indian Chief in Peter Pan.

I tend to think you're right about Pinto Colvig's association with the haunted mansion, given the date of his death. However, IMDB lists him as a munchkin, not the voice of the apple tree.

(And this list is for newbies, like me, that may have not known these facts from a favorite ride):

1. As you're going through the ballroom, you may notice what's supposed to look like a spider web on one of the sheets of glass. In the summer of 1974, a disneyland guest shot a .22 caliber handgun towards one of the two men dueling (the one on the right), and shot through the glass. The same person shot a hold in the second to last window of the Primevil world railroad diorama, and bullet fragments also matched holds in Adventures in Inner Space (he shot at the snowflakes).2. None of the actual Haunted Mansion ride takes place in the Antebellum Mansion front that you enter. The entire ride, which you board via an underground tunnel, is contained in a large building behind the mansion, beyond the railroad tracks.3. In the ballroom scene, the mirror image reflection causes the women to lead, instead of the men, while waltzing.4. Each car is equipped with 3 speakers, and used to have an ingenious system where the sound was transmitted to odd-numbered cars via a narrow band transmitter, and the signal (once received) was then passed on to the even-numbered car behind it. In a 1995 refurbishment (which added lines of dialogue previously taken out, new digital chips were added to each car. 5. The theme song in the mansion, Grim Grinning Ghosts, is the same song throughtout the entire ride - it's played slowly on an electric organ when you enter the first room of the mansion, on an pipe organ with a more upbeat tempo when you visit the ballroom scene, and as an upbeat jazzy vocal melody when you visit the graveyard. 6. Leota Thomas, the face of "Madam Leota", has a daughter, Kim Irvine, who is a Disney imagineer. Candy Candido, voice for the growly guy in the mutt-and-Jeff prisoner pair in the graveyard, was also the voice of the angry apple tree in "The Wizard of Oz."7. Marc Davis, the artist responsible for the paintings and most of the other concepts found in the Mansion, had originally envisioned a Mansion-themed restaurant for New Orleans Square (probably the Fowler's Harbour area), where park guests could actually sit down and spend time watching as ghostly portraits slowly metamorphosized. Incidentally, Davis had spent several years coming up with a virtual pile of changing portrait concepts - many more than could actually be used - which could have been incorporated into such a restaurant. This is the third attraction (after the Enchanted Tiki Room, and Pirates of the Carribean, that was originally thought of as a restaurant).8. Cast members have a "remote control", like a small TV remote, that can stop and start the ride immediately, if necessary.9. In the ballroom scene, the book that Grandma is reading in the rocking chair is "Arizona in the 1950s" by James Tevis.10. Haunted Mansion has five Ravens: a) "Rooftop" overhead just after exiting attic (graveyard entrance); b) "Conservatory" on coffin; c) "Seance" on the back of the chair, d) "Ballroom" on the balcony against the rear wall, and e) "Graveyard" (exit) overhead just before entering crypt. The reason you see a raven so many scenes is because the raven was originally supposed to be the tour guide; hence, he was placed in strategic locations. Then plans changed, and the Ghost Host (voice by Paul Frees, also famous for the voice of Boris Badanov from Rocky and Bullwinkle) was added, but the raven remains throughout the ride.

LOL...creepy thing is I knew everything you said!

Comment

4. Each car is equipped with 3 speakers, and used to have an ingenious system where the sound was transmitted to odd-numbered cars via a narrow band transmitter, and the signal (once received) was then passed on to the even-numbered car behind it. In a 1995 refurbishment (which added lines of dialogue previously taken out, new digital chips were added to each car.

I keep hoping that they will replace the speakers/sound system to make the ride better. I have always felt this is one of the weakest parts of the ride.

Comment

I keep hoping that they will replace the speakers/sound system to make the ride better. I have always felt this is one of the weakest parts of the ride.

You're probably right. I found out researching stuff for this list that the entire ride is in Mono, not Stereo as I thought, and I'm positive that the outside sounds (the graveyard, ballroom, etc., could be upgraded as far as Audio). Maybe that's coming with all the other changes - you never know!